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                  <p class="p_Heading1"><span class="f_Heading1">Connect Elements</span></p>



  
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                <p class="p_SubHeadingL1"><span class="f_SubHeadingL1">Connect Elements on a Diagram</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">The fastest and simplest ways to create connectors are using the Quick Linker and using the Enterprise Architect UML </span><span class="f_UIControl">Toolbox</span><span class="f_BodyText">. The following topics describe these and other approaches for creating connectors on a diagram:</span></p>
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<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="quick_linker_connectors.htm">Create Connectors In Place Using the Quick Linker</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="objecttoolbar.htm">Create Connectors Using the Enterprise Architect UML Toolbox</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="umlpatterns.htm">Create a Group of Elements Using UML Patterns</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="umlprofiles.htm">Create Domain Specific Connectors From UML Profiles</a></span><span class="f_Bulletlist1">.</span></li>
</ul>
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<td valign="bottom" width="955" bgcolor="#efeff7" style="width:955px; background-color:#efeff7;"><p class="p_TiporNote" style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none;"><span class="f_TiporNote">Tip:</span></p>
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<td width="955" bgcolor="#f7f7ff" style="width:955px; background-color:#f7f7ff;"><p class="p_TiporNoteText"><span class="f_TiporNoteText">To repeat the last connector you used, click on the appropriate source element and press </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">[F3]</span><span class="f_TiporNoteText">.</span></p>
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<p class="p_SubHeadingL1"><span class="f_SubHeadingL1">Select Connectors</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">To select a connector, simply click on it. Drag handles display, indicating that the connector is selected. This gives the connector focus for keyboard commands such as</span><span class="f_MenuKeyField"> [Delete]</span><span class="f_BodyText">, and displays connector properties in docked windows such as the </span><span class="f_UIControl">Tagged Values</span><span class="f_BodyText"> window. If there is more than one connector on a diagram, you can cycle through them using the arrow keys.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL1"><span class="f_SubHeadingL1">Drag Connectors</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">You can drag a connector to position it. Click on the connector and drag the connector to where it is to appear. Note that there are some limitations on how far or to where you can drag a connector.</span></p>
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<td valign="bottom" width="955" bgcolor="#efeff7" style="width:955px; background-color:#efeff7;"><p class="p_TiporNote" style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none;"><span class="f_TiporNote">Notes:</span></p>
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<td width="955" bgcolor="#f7f7ff" style="width:955px; background-color:#f7f7ff;"><ul style="text-indent: 0px; margin-left: 14px; list-style-position: outside;">
<li><span class="f_TiporNoteText">You can reposition a connector by selecting and dragging the connectors as required.</span></li>
<li><span class="f_TiporNoteText">If a connector has source and target roles, you can attach either end of the connector to a <a href="connect_to_element_feature.htm">specific attribute or operation</a> in the source or target element.</span></li>
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<td valign="bottom" width="955" bgcolor="#efeff7" style="width:955px; background-color:#efeff7;"><p class="p_TiporNote" style="border-top: none; border-right: none; border-left: none;"><span class="f_TiporNote">Tip:</span></p>
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<td width="955" bgcolor="#f7f7ff" style="width:955px; background-color:#f7f7ff;"><p class="p_TiporNoteText"><span class="f_TiporNoteText">To reattach the end of a connector to a different source or target element, see the </span><span class="f_TiporNoteText" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="changethesourceortargetob.htm">Change the Source or Target Element</a></span><span class="f_TiporNoteText"> topic.</span></p>
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<p class="p_SubHeadingL1"><span class="f_SubHeadingL1">Connector Properties and Commands</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">You can double-click on a connector to <a href="connectiondetails.htm">change properties</a>, or right-click to display the context menu containing commands to <a href="changeconnectortype.htm">change connector type</a> and <a href="reverseconnector.htm">direction</a>.</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">You can also highlight the connectors on a specific element. Select the element and press </span><span class="f_MenuKeyField">[L]</span><span class="f_BodyText">. All the connectors issuing from or terminating at that element are highlighted.</span></p>
<p class="p_SubHeadingL1"><span class="f_SubHeadingL1">Create Connectors Without a Diagram</span></p>
<p class="p_BodyText"><span class="f_BodyText">Sometimes it is useful to create relationships between elements without a diagrammatic representation. You can do this using the </span><span class="f_UIControl">Project Browser</span><span class="f_BodyText"> and the </span><span class="f_UIControl">Relationship Matrix</span><span class="f_BodyText">, as explained in the following topics:</span></p>
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<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="createlink.htm">Add Connectors With the Project Browser</a></span></li>
<li><span class="f_Bulletlist1" style="font-style: italic;"><a href="elementrelationshipmatrix.htm">Add Connectors With the Relationship Matrix</a>.</span></li>
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